Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 292 - Laws Governing Shabbos Afternoon Service

SECTION 292 The Laws Governing the Shabbos Afternoon Service (1-7)

1 [At the beginning of the Afternoon Service,] it is customary to recite Ashrei,1 [followed by] the selection of verses beginning] U’va leTziyon go’el and the entire order of Kedushah,2 which is recited daily in the Morning [Service]. On Shabbos and festivals, however, it was relegated to the Afternoon Service since the Morning and Mussaf Services are prolonged.

2 Ezra ordained that there be a communal reading from a Torah scroll every Shabbos during the Afternoon Service. Three men read3 ten verses4 or more from the Torah portion of the coming week.5 [This reading was ordained] for the sake of those who “sit on the street corners,” and occupy themselves in commerce6 throughout the days of the week and do not come to hear the Torah reading on Mondays and Thursdays. Accordingly, he ordained an additional reading [of the Torah] on Shabbos afternoon for their sake, [at a time when they] are free and will [easily be able to] come to listen.

Even when a festival falls on Shabbos, the Torah portion of the coming week is read and not a passage associated with the festival. [The rationale is that] there is no connection at all between the festival and the [afternoon] Torah reading, for were it not for [the fact that the festival fell on a] Shabbos, there would be no reading of the Torah on a festival in the Afternoon Service.7

3 It is customary to recite the verse8 “As for me, my prayer…,” before the reading of the Torah [on Shabbos afternoon. The rationale for its inclusion is based on] our Sages’ interpretation9 of the sequence of verses: “Those who sit in the gate speak about me; those who imbibe strong drink make melodies [about me].”10 Afterwards, it is written: “As for me, my prayer.” [Our Sages explain that] David said before the Holy One, blessed be He: “Master of the world, this nation (Israel) is unlike the other nations of the world. When the other nations of the world drink and become inebriated, they go and act irresponsibly. We do not do so. Even though we have drunk [wine during the Shabbos meal], ‘As for me, my prayer.’ ”11

Accordingly, it was ordained to recite this verse before the Torah reading that was ordained for the sake of those who sit on the street corners:12 to give thanks to our Creator Who did not endow us with a portion like [the other nations]. They act irresponsibly the entire day, while we – even the ones among us who sit on the street corners – gather together to hear the Torah [reading].

When a festival falls during the week, it is not customary to recite this [verse in] the Afternoon Service, because the Torah is not read then. For this reason, even on Shabbos in a place where there is no Torah scroll, it is not necessary to recite it. Nevertheless, it is customary to recite it [on Shabbos]in all situations.13

4 Kaddish should not be recited after the Torah reading in the Afternoon Service14 because there is no [element of the service] that intervenes between this Kaddish and the Kaddish that is recited before the recitation of the Shemoneh Esreh. True, it is customary to recite [the verse] Yehalelu.15 Nevertheless, it is only one verse and is not considered a [significant] interruption,16 and it is forbidden to recite two Kaddeishim one after the other unless the recitation of verses intervenes between them.17

Accordingly, in a place where there is no Torah scroll and thus there is nothing intervening between the Kaddish recited after U’va leTziyon and the Kaddish preceding the recitation of the Shemoneh Esreh in a hushed tone, only one Kaddish should be recited. [The rationale:] “As for me, my prayer” is only one verse and is not considered as a [significant] interruption. [Indeed,] it is preferable not to recite [“As for me, my prayer”] at all or to recite it before Kaddish, directly after the conclusion of the order of Kedushah,18 so that there not be any interruption – not even the recitation of one verse – between the Kaddish and the Shemoneh Esreh in a hushed tone. For the Shemoneh Esreh is never begun without the recitation of Kaddish beforehand, except in the Morning Service. [There, an exception is made] in order to link the blessing Go’al Yisrael to the Shemoneh Esreh [without the slightest interruption].19

5 [After the Shemoneh Esreh,] it is customary to recite20 the three verses that begin with “Your righteousness.” Their [recitation] serves as a form of “justification of [Divine] judgment”21 for the three righteous men – Yosef, Moshe, and David – who died at this time.22

6 It is customary not to establish a study session between the Afternoon Service and the Evening Service [on Shabbos. The rationale is that] when a sage dies, his house of study ceases [its sessions],23 i.e., the scholars do not study as a group.24 Nevertheless, pairs of two study together in their homes, as will be stated in Yoreh Deah, sec. 344.25

Accordingly, the custom is to hold a communal study session before the Afternoon Service. If the study session is prolonged until close to nightfall so that it will be impossible to partake of the third [Shabbos] meal,26 Pirkei Avos27 or the Shir HaMaalos psalms28 should not be recited.

7 If a day when the Tachanun prayers would not be recited during the Afternoon Services during the week falls on Shabbos, e.g., Chanukah or Rosh Chodesh,29 it is customary not to recite Tzidkoscha tzedek in the Afternoon Service.30 Similarly, it is also customary not to recite Tzidkoscha tzedek in the Afternoon Service, if the following day will be Rosh Chodesh, for during the week it is also customary not to recite Tachanun during the Afternoon Service on the day preceding Rosh Chodesh.